3D printing technology first came about in the late 1980’s, but it was mostly limited to governments and industry.
It wasn’t until a few decades later—in 2009—that the technology became commercially available, with Bits from Bytes and Makerbot Industries releasing early consumer 3D printers.
But despite more and more consumer-friendly models popping up on the market, 3D printing continues to hover just out of financial reach for the average consumer.
Makerbots, for example, will still cost you upwards of $2,000. This isn’t bad when you compare it to the price tag of an industrial printer (which can run from $50,000 to over $1,000,000), but it’s not exactly pocket change.
However, there are some really interesting open-source projects happening that are trying to make the technology more widely accessible.
The RepRap project, for instance, has created a self-sustaining, low-cost printer that can make its own parts.
How do you measure a market where the technology can make itself?
Calculating the market size of something like 3D printers is no easy task. Technavio’s recent report on the global 3D printing market takes into account shipments of 3D printers worldwide to OEMs in automotive, consumer products, healthcare, aerospace and defense, education, research, and architecture.
These elements alone are expected to boost the global 3D printing market from a value of $1.95 billion in 2015 to $11.07 billion in 2020.
However, the actual value of the 3D printing market is somewhat of a moving target. Technavio’s report doesn’t take into consideration 3D printing materials and services, components or devices used in the production of 3D printers and (obviously) counterfeit printers. It also doesn’t look at the exponential growth that something like the RepRap project can create.
Companies driving the 3D printing revolution
As much as the consumer side of 3D printing is the more interesting bit to talk about, the industrial side is what’s really pushing the technology forward.
The automotive sector, for instance, contributed 21.2% to the global market in 2015. 3D printing allows automotive manufacturers to create highly customized parts—both functional and aesthetic.
Honda Motors has released 3D printer design files of particular concept cars as part of its campaign “Honda 3D Design Archives”, which enables anyone with a 3D printer to produce a model at home. In September 2015, Peugeot used 3D printing technology to build a new concept car, Peugeot Fractal, which will have its interior trim developed using a 3D printer.
Bioprinting is another massive area of interest in the market. It involves the production of human organs by using human cells to print functional tissue. While it’s a bit macabre to think about, this has huge implications for medical sciences, specifically transplants and regenerative medicine.
Because of these and similar developments, the number of 3D printing patents has exploded from just 72 is 2005 to more than 600 is 2013, and this number is expected to continue climbing.
Number of patents on 3D printing 2005-2013
Source: Technavio, 2015
A lot of market growth is going to be driven by products offered by a few key market vendors. While massive market players like EOS, Mitsubishi, Ultimaker, and Voxeljet are expected to make significant contributions to the market over the projected period, Technavio analysts have identified four companies driving 3D printing innovation.
3D Systems
3D Systems provides the most advanced and comprehensive 3D digital design and fabrication solutions available today, including 3D printers, print materials and cloud-sourced custom parts. Its powerful ecosystem transforms entire industries by empowering professionals and consumers everywhere to bring their ideas to life using its vast material selection, including plastics, metals, ceramics and edibles. 3D Systems’ leading personalized medicine capabilities include end-to-end simulation, training and planning, and printing of surgical instruments and devices for personalized surgery and patient specific medical and dental devices. Its democratized 3D digital design, fabrication and inspection products provide seamless interoperability and incorporate the latest immersive computing technologies. 3D Systems’ products and services disrupt traditional methods, deliver improved results and empower its customers to manufacture the future now.
EnvisionTEC
EnvisionTEC is a leading global provider of 3D printer solutions for the rapid manufacture of customized products utilizing its proprietary consumables across a variety of markets. Since its first patent submission in 1999, EnvisionTEC developed and released 3D print solutions consisting of 3D printers, print materials, replacement parts as well as training and other services. EnvisionTEC’s proprietary, multi-platform 3D Printer technology delivers high precision, surface quality and functionality as well as the ability to use a wide range of materials at production speeds that it believes are superior to those offered by its competitors. With 18 U.S. patents and 91 foreign patents, EnvisionTEC works with a strong customer and partner base in diverse sectors such as jewelry, hearing aid, dental, consumer, auto manufacturing and design companies.
ExOne
ExOne, a publicly traded manufacturing technology company, provides 3D printing machines, 3D printed products and related services to industrial customers in multiple segments, including pumps, automotive, aerospace, heavy equipment and energy.
The ExOne® process, which utilizes binder jetting technology with industrial materials, gives traditional manufacturers an opportunity to reduce costs, lower the risk of trial and error and create opportunities for design innovation.
Stratasys
We’ve been at the forefront of 3D printing innovation for more than 25 years. We’re shaping lives by helping researchers and health experts expand human knowledge and advance health care delivery. We are fueling the next generation of innovation through our work in aerospace, automotive and education. We’re trusted worldwide by leading manufacturers and groundbreaking designers, makers, thinkers and doers. As a proud innovation partner, we offer the best mix of technologies, deep industry expertise — and the most flexible implementation options to meet our customers’ needs – whatever shape they may take.
